PG&E Customers’ Electricity 100% Greenhouse Gas-free in 2023

PG&E retail customers received 100% greenhouse gas-free electricity in 2023, making the company’s portfolio of electricity sources one of the world’s cleanest.

In 2023, 34% of PG&E’s total electricity delivered to retail customers—residential customers and businesses to whom the company directly sells electricity—came from specified eligible-renewable resources, including solar and wind power, small hydroelectric generation and biopower. PG&E retail customers also received 53% of their electric deliveries from carbon-free nuclear power generated by Diablo Canyon Power Plant, and 13% from large hydroelectric power.

The company’s GHG-free electric retail sales are one important indicator of PG&E’s clean-energy performance. In another example, PG&E also reached an important battery energy storage milestone, passing the 2,100-megawatt mark for capacity.

“We’re all in on creating a clean energy future,” said Patti Poppe, Chief Executive Officer, PG&E Corporation. “Providing retail customers with 100% greenhouse gas-free electricity in 2023 highlights that PG&E’s electric generation portfolio supports achievement of California’s climate goals.”

https://youtu.be/LzUdIjtajEI

California’s goals include reaching carbon neutrality by 2045. PG&E is committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2040, and to actively removing more greenhouse gases than the company emits by 2050.

Solar leads for renewables

Large-scale solar energy accounts for the largest share of PG&E’s renewable energy mix. The company has more than 260 Renewables Portfolio Standard-eligible power purchase agreements totaling more than 6,000 megawatts. According to the California Independent System Operator (ISO), one megawatt produces enough electricity to power about 750 homes.

PG&E also owns 430 megawatts of eligible-renewable generation. That includes 277 megawatts of small hydroelectric, and 13 solar generation plants, mostly in the Central Valley, which generate up to 153 megawatts of clean power.

PG&E also remains a leader in helping customers go solar. The company has connected more than 800,000 customers with rooftop solar to the electric grid. PG&E continues to support customers with resources before, during and after going solar. PG&E’s resources for customers include help finding a solar contractor, as well as a solar calculator to help estimate their savings.

PG&E crosses battery energy storage milestone

PG&E also continues to invest in battery energy storage systems to enhance grid reliability, integrate additional renewables into the grid and save customers energy and money.

As of March 2024, PG&E has brought online a total of more than 2,100 megawatts of new incremental battery storage capacity, with an additional 772 megawatts planned in 2024 and 687.5 megawatts planned in 2025. PG&E has more than 3.5 gigawatts of total battery energy storage under contract.

According to the ISO, California’s renewable resources sometimes generate more electricity during the day than customers can use. Battery energy storage allows PG&E and other utilities to store excess solar or wind power for use later in the evening to displace natural gas-fired resources that would otherwise be dispatched to serve the evening peak.

“We’re proud of our clean energy leadership, but we know there is more to do to ensure that clean energy is available at all times of the day and all seasons of the year,” Poppe said. “By unleashing the full potential of battery storage to integrate additional greenhouse gas-free sources of electricity, we will continue to reduce emissions across our energy system and make progress toward our goal of net-zero emissions by 2040 at the lowest possible cost.”

Large-scale battery storage brought online in 2023 included:

• The 350-megawatt MOSS350 Energy Storage project in Moss Landing, (Monterey County) which brought Vistra’s Moss Landing battery to 750 megawatts, making it the largest battery of its kind anywhere
• The 169-megawatt Edwards Sanborn Energy Storage project in Mojave (Kern County)
• The 132-megawatt North Central Valley Energy Storage project in Linden (San Joaquin County) 

In addition to large, grid-scale battery energy storage, PG&E connects hundreds to thousands of new, behind-the-meter (BTM) battery energy storage systems to its grid every month.

Through January 2024, behind-the-meter battery storage systems among PG&E customers totaled more than 670 megawatts — 35% of the nation’s behind-the-meter storage capacity.

Pictured from left: Sonal Larsen (director of Public Policy, Moxion Power), Patti Poppe (CEO, PG&E Corporation), Joanne Serina (vice president of Stakeholder Engagement & Customer Experience, CAISO), and Mary Powell (CEO, Sunrun) discuss California’s clean energy future outside the Moxion HQ and the Rosie the Riveter Museum at Ford Point in Richmond on Earth Day on April 22.